pause; (in rehearsal)

Earlier this evening we had a major rehearsal for pause; (yes, that's right, the semicolon is part of the title).

As you might already know, from looking on our newly redesigned website or because you are friends with us on Facebook, pause; is a reworked version of Present Tents (which we showed on 11th July 2010 at Lounge on the Farm Festival, as part of PANeK's Showcase at 'The Playhouse'). Present Tents took place in a small two-an tent and was a short yet intimate one-to-one encounter between a performer and an audience member. A few days after the festival we were contacted by ArtsAgenda (a production company based in Brighton), and they asked us if we wanted to show the piece at this year's Derby Festé (a festival they are programming). Of course we were ecstatic! Not only for getting a chance to perform outside the South East, but because the festival includes such established artists as Ant Hampton (Rotozaza) and Metro-Bouldot-Dodo. However, being perfectionists as we are, we were not content to present exactly the same work (in the state that it was then).

So, as I said at the beginning, we have had a major rehearsal to rework the piece. Now, I would not like to give too much away (spoiling surprises at this stage would be a shame). All I will say is that it was a long but very productive meeting. We tightened the aesthetics, we discussed and walked through the audience's experience, we developed some of the therapies/treatments we already had and devised some new ones, and we worked through our personas. If you want to find out more you will have to come to Derby on 25th and 26th September, and experience pause; yourself. Of course we are also planning to document the piece with photographs and hopefully video too, so later on this autumn/winter you should be able to see some updates on our main website.

I bought these glass jars from a corner shop near my house (it had been bought by new owners and they were refurbishing the premises). They used to contain old fashioned sweets and we liked the way they looked and felt (allowing for both associations of sweets/treats and medicine/apothecary). The jars will contain the props and objects needed for each of the therapies/treatments that will be part of pause;.

This is Laura (posing as an audience member) and Rick (as the 'trained therapist') going over the introductory exchange. It involves gentle and soothing speech, as well as antibacterial gel and a hand massage.

As our blurb for pause; says: we are looking forward to treating you.

Pablo